KENT, Conn.—The Chamber of Commerce announced a new location for this summer’s Farmers Market and introduced its new manager Wednesday night during its regular monthly meeting.
The market, which has been located on the Kent Land Trust field south of the village, will move to a location near the Welcome Center at 3 Railroad Street and will be held Friday afternoons, 3 to 6 p.m., May 22 through mid-October.
Spencer Lord, the new manager, said he already has 33 vendors signed up and that he is working on providing signage and live music. “It seems to me there is a little buzz already,” he said.
Chamber President Phil Fox thanked the land trust for having allowed use of its field over the years.
Chamber board member Gary Kidd, co-owner of 45 on Main, has worked on relocating the market to the more central site. He explained that the shoppers in the center of town during busy summer and fall weekends will provide “a natural audience for vendors.”
With the KLT field being well below the business district, he believes it shortened the time people stayed in the village. “People felt that after going to the market they were done and went home,” he said.
“Now, they can park once and go through the whole town,” observed Fox.
It was noted that the new location will also be near the ever-popular Kent Memorial Library’s book sale, which is temporarily relocated this summer to Green Pastures Lane while the historic library on Main Street is renovated and expanded. The book sale also opens May 22 and continues into October.
Public parking will be available along the streets and in the Town Hall parking lot. Some restaurants will participate and promotions, such as discounts on meals if a receipt for a farmers market purchase is presented, are being considered.
Chamber members ran through a busy schedule of events for the coming year, including Restaurant Week, which kicks off April 30; Silly Games Night, planned for Thursday, May 21; the summer sales festival, and the gala events at Halloween and Christmas.
“I know a lot of these things sound like they are far away, but we have to keep planning for them,” said Fox.
